A particular system for transmission of data or information between a first party and a second party is taught in U.S. Pat. 4,713,837 wherein certain advantages are realized by processing the transmission through an intermediary. In particular, it is desirable to use this type of arrangement in combination with data transmitting/receiving devices which are designed for transmission of the information over a telephone network. The process intermediary is not dedicated to traditional telephone transmission circuits and in a preferred form, advantageously transmits the data to an associated process intermediary over dedicated data transmission systems (see copending application Ser. No. 137,799 filed Dec. 24, 1987 incorporated herein by reference). The process intermediary includes a separate non-telephone actuation means for signalling a data transmitting/receiving device for which a message has been received such that the device can then, through the telephone capability, initiate a telephone communication with the process intermediary. Such an arrangement does not require the transmitting/receiving device to have a dedicated telephone line, as the actuation of the device for receiving transmissions is controlled by the process intermediary.
In related U.S. application Ser. No. 137,799 filed Dec. 24, 1987, an actuation and routing device attaches to or forms part of a data transmitting/receiving device, such as a facsimile machine. This device routes outgoing transmissions in one manner for certain local calls and routes at least certain long distance transmissions in a different manner, and routes certain special instructions entered via the dialing keypad of the originating transmitting/receiving device to the process intermediary for processing and/or for the subsequent delivery of information back to the originating data transmitting/ receiving device. In the case of local transmissions, the data transmitting/receiving device generally operates in the normal manner, whereas in the case of certain long distance transmissions they are routed to a process intermediary for transmission in a more efficient manner at least partially over a digital data network. The device also serves to receive a non-telephone actuation signal indicating a transmission has been received by the process intermediary for the particular data transmitting/receiving device. The actuation and routing device then initiates a telephone communication between the data transmitting/receiving device and the process intermediary for delivery of the information over the telephone circuit thus established.
In these systems, it is desirable to have the actuation and routing device capable of determining or automatically receiving the telephone number which it must call to redirect long distance and other calls or for information requests, or the telephone number of the process intermediary used when a message is to be retrieved from the process intermediary. As can be appreciated, it would be highly desirable if the actuation and routing device could be standardized such that the installer need not preprogram the telephone number, based on the location of the actuation and routing device, and, in the case that the device was moved, it would automatically determine the appropriate number for the transmission and/or reception of messages or other services.
The actuation and routing device can be separated into two functions, however, it is preferred to combine the functions into one unit.